Orthopedic bed



April 25, 1933. J v BERNS 1,905,887

ORTHOPEDIC BED Filed April 25, 1930 50 2 faflig M W Patented Apr. 25,1933 NI ED; STATES r arENroFFi-cE I JOHN v. BERNS, or KENOSHA,WISCONSIN, Assrenon Tosirirrons comma, er saw YQRK, N. Y., Acoaroear'ron or ELAWARE onrn'ornnio Jinn Application filed April 23,

My invention relates to beds, and has to do more particularly with a bedof an orthopedic type suitable for use. in hospitals, sanitariums andthe like.

In the care of patients whose condition is such as to preclude theirbodily disturbance, it is desirable that some arrangement be providedwhereby the bed-clothing may be changed without requiring movement ofthe patient.

It is an object of my. invention to provide a bed which will meet theabove requirement and will have new and improved means for actuating thesame.

A further object ofmy invention is to provide such a device havingauxiliary means for supporting the body of a patient while thebed-clothing is being changed and with main body-supporting means whichmay be raised or lowered, with automatic means for limiting the upwardmovement of the latter and for looking it in position. i

Another object is to provide such a device which will be simple inconstruction, easy to manipulate, certain in operation, eflicient, andrugged. I

Various other objects and advantages will become apparent to thoseskilled in the art as the description proceeds.

Referring now to the drawing forming a part of this specification andillustrating a preferred embodiment of my invention:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a bed embodying my invention, and

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are sectional views taken respectively on the lines 22,33 and M of Fig. 1.

The numeral 10 indicates generally a bed embodying my invention, the bedhaving the usual end rails 12 and 12 and side rails 13. A plurality ofclamping members 14 are carried by the side rails for the purpose ofsecuring straps (not shown) formed of canvas or the like, these strapsextending across the bed and forming anauxiliary support for thepatient. j

I also provide a frame'16 to which is secured a fabric spring 18 of anysuitable type. To one end of the frame 16is fastened an angle member 17(Fig. 2) for a 1920. Serial no. 446352.

purpose to be described. The frame 16 is preferably provided withdepending legs 19 carrying casters 20.. J

Secured to. the frame 16 by any suitable Such as rivets orthe like arestraps 22 whlch are wound around drums'24 eccen- The trically mounted onshafts 25, 25. shafts 25, 25 are rotatably journaled in brackets 26, 26which may be secured to,

and depend from the side rails of the bed.

-Splined on theshafts 25, 25 are .worm wheels 28, 28,ytheseworm wheelscooperating with worms 29, 29 mounted on a shaft 30 which extendslongitudinally of the bed' and is rotatably journaled in the brackets26, 26. The shaft 80 is preferably provided with a polygonal head at oneend which may be engaged by a removable socket crank 82 or the like formanualrotation. V

' Secured to the shaft'80 adjacent the worm 29 is a radial stud havingan enlarged head 36. As shown best in Fig.2, the head of the stud ispreferably beveled to provide a cam surface 37 Slidably mounted in ablock 88 secured to the bracket 26 is a pin 89 which is arrangedsubstantially parallel to the shaft 30, one end of this pin abuttingagainst a compression helical spring 40 which is retained by means of ascrew 41 threaded into the block. The other end of the pin 39 isprovided with a curved beveled cam face 42. (See Fig. 4.) v The pin 39is also'provided with a longitudinal bevel 43, while the side of the pinis also beveled adjacent the end as at 44, so as to provide asubstantial area of contact for the stud head Slidably mounted in acylindrical recess 45 in the'block 38 is another pin 46 which bearsagainst a compression helical spring 48 seated in the recess. The pin 46is pro vided with atriangular notch 50 which is adapted to cooperatewedgingly with the bevel 43 of the pin 39.

It will be understood, of course, that the shafts 25, 25' extend'acrossthe bed,'being journaled in brackets on the other side (not shown)similar to the brackets 26, 26 and carrying drums similar to the drums24. Hence, it will be apparent that when the shaft 30 is rotated bymeans of the crank 32, the Worms 29, 29, acting through the worm wheels28, 28, will rotate the shafts 25, 25

from the block 38 by means of the spring 48, but retained in the blockby means of the pin 39 which normally occupies a position as shown inFig. 4 in-wedged relation to the pin 46. IVhen the frame 16 is raised toits maximum elevated position so that the spring 18 is disposedimmediately below the straps carried by the brackets 14, the anglemember 17 will be moved upwardly into abutment with the pin 46. (SeeFig. 2.) Movement of this pin upwardly will disengage it from itswedging engagement with the pin 39, and the latter will be released sothat it may be moved outwardly by its spring 40 to the position shown indotted lines in Fig. 4, the pin being retained from further outwardmovement by reason of the fact that the shoulder formed at the end ofthe slot 43 will abut against the pin 46.

It will be apparent that the pin 39, projecting outwardly fromthe block38, will, by reason of its abutment intothe path of the stud 36 on theshaft 30,, serve as a lock against further rotation of the shaft 30 andhence against further upward movement of the frame 16. The frame andspring will, of course, be retained .in elevated position by reason ofthe fact that the worms 29, 29 will lock the worm wheels againstrotation due to an gravitational pull on the straps 22. r

When it is desired to lower the bed, the shaft 30 is rotated in such adirection that the beveled face 37 of the stud 36 is brought intoengagement with the cam face 42 of the pin 39, camming the pin back intoits slot against the action of the spring 40 where it is retained byreason of its wedging action with the pin 46, the latter being urgedinto such wedging relation by its spring 48. The

reason for making the drums 24 eccentric is so that, when the movablebed frame 16 is in maximum elevated position, a given angle of rotationof the operating crank 32 will result in a relatively slight verticalmovement of the frame.

Various changes and modifications within the spirit of my invention willbecome apparent to those skilled in the art from the description hereingiven, and hence I do not wish to be limited to the specific embodimentshown or uses mentioned except as set forth in the appended claims,which are to be interpreted as broadly as the state of the art willpermit.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination with a bed frame having a vertically adjustablebottom, means for adjusting the elevation of said bottom, means mountedon said bed frame and rendered operative by engagement with said bottomfor stopping the latter at a predetermined elevation, and means carriedby said adjusting means and operated by a reverse movement of saidadjusting means for rendering said stopping means inoperative.

2. In combination with a bed frame having a vertically adjustablebottom, means for adjusting the elevation of said bottom, means mountedon said bed frame and rendered operative by engagement with said bottom.for stopping the latter at a predetermined elevation, and cam meanscarried by said adjusting means and operated by a reverse movement ofsaid adjustingmeans for rendering said stopping means inoperative.

3. In combination with a bed frame having a vertically adjustable bedbottom, means for adjusting the elevation of said bottom, amembermounted on said frame and engageable by said bottom when thelatter is in position of maximum elevation, a second member controlledby said first member for locking said adjusting-means against furtherraising movement, and means carried by said adjusting means adapted tocooperate with said second member in looking said adjusting means,and,=. by a reverse movement of said adjusting means, in rendering saidsecond member inoperative to lock said adjusting means.

4. In combination with a bed frame having a vertically adjustable bedbottom, means for adjusting the elevation of said bottom, a membermounted on said frame and engageable by said bottom when the latter isin position of maximum elevation, a second member normally retained bysaid i first member and releasable thereby when said first member isengaged by said bottom for locking said adjusting means against furtherraising movement, said second member having a cam face, and a thirdmember carried by said adjusting means adapted to cooperate with saidsecond'member in looking said adjusting means, and having a cam faceadapted to cooperate with the cam face of said second member, 5

by a reverse movement of said adjusting means, for camming said secondmember out of locking relation with said third member.

5. In combination with a bed frame having a vertically adjustable bedbottom, means for adjusting the elevation of said bottom, a membermounted on said frame and engageable by said bottom when the latter isin position of maximum elevation,

resilient means urging said member toward said bed bottom, a secondmember for looking said adjusting means against further raisingmovement, resilient means urging said second member toward lockingposition, said first and second members inter-engaging with each otherfor restricting the movements thereof by their respective resilientmembers and wedgingly. engaging each other when said second member isnot in looking position, said second member,

having a cam face, and a third member car,- ried by said adjusting meansadapted to cooperate with said second member in looking said adjustingmeans, and having a cam face adapted to cooperate with the cam face ofsaid second member, by a reverse movement of said adjusting means, forcamming said second member out of locking relation with said thirdmember and into wedging relation with said first member.

6. In combination with a bed frame having a vertically adjustablebottom, means for adjusting the elevation of said bottom, means mountedon said bed frame for stopping operation of said adjusting means againstraising said bottom above a predetermined elevation, and means normallyretaining said stopping means in inoperative condition and rendering thesame operative upon engagement of said retaining means with said bottom.

7 In combination with a bed frame having a Vertically adjustable bottom,means for adjusting the elevation of said bottom, means mounted 011 saidbed frame for stopping operation of said adjusting means against raisingsaid bottom above a pre determined elevation, means normally retainingsaid stopping means in inoperative condition and rendering the sameoperative upon engagement of said retaining means with said bottom, andmeans actuated by said adjusting means, upon a reverse movement thereof,for restoring said stopping means to inoperative condition and saidretaining means to its normal retaining position.

JOHN V. BERNS.

